The Ultimate Ranking of Kanto’s 10 Most Powerful Pokémon You Need to Know!

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Originating from the Kanto region, the legendary initial set of 151 Pokémons became instantly iconic. To this day, almost three decades later, these pocket-sized creatures continue to captivate fans, and remarkably, some still hold their ground as formidable contenders in competitive play.

In this catalog, you’ll find the statistics for the Kanto Pokémons featured in Generation 9 games. However, it excludes Mega Evolutions, regional variants, special abilities, new evolutions seen in later releases, the effects of held items, and the advantages of Dynamax/Gigantamax. This collection showcases the Gen 1 Pokémons with the most comprehensive stat total in the contemporary period.

This Water/Ice-type Pokémon Is a Powerhouse

Even though top-ranked Pokémon from the mid-’90s have maintained their positions, there has been some shuffling at the lower levels. Notably, Exeggutor and Cloyster experienced a decrease in Special Defense stat after the Special split, which provided an opportunity for other Pokémon to move up the rankings with fewer adjustments.

Lapras boasts an average stat distribution of 535, making it only slightly superior to Charizard. However, due to its Water/Ice-type nature and relatively low Speed stat, Lapras may struggle in competitive battles as it faces numerous formidable opponents capable of dealing extra damage, particularly Electric and Fighting-style attacks, which can possess devastating offensive power.

Snorlax Is a Surprisingly Strong Normal-Type Pokémon

Transformed from a weakly defensive Snorlax into an exceptional defender in the series. Snorlax boasts incredibly high HP and Special Defense stats, making it resilient against considerable damage. With a healing ability like Rest, many Pokémon will find it challenging to outmaneuver this colossal obstacle. Admittedly, its speed is slow, but it doesn’t need to act first to inflict damage, as its endurance allows it to withstand most attacks thrown its way.

In competitive play, Snorlax, with a base stat spread of 540 and being solely Normal-type, can hold its ground effectively. During the time when Fighting-types had an advantage over it in Pokémon Red & Blue, which were relatively weaker, this sleepy giant’s dominance was solidified even more.

Gyarados Is Powerful Even Though It’s a Water/Flying Pokémon

In earlier games, Gyarados’s total base stat spread of 540 was comparable to Snorlax, indicating it could greatly benefit from the combat enhancements added in later Pokémon versions. The Mega Evolution of Gyarados and its Dynamax form become valuable additions to any team, significantly boosting its capabilities.

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but express my concerns about the base form of Gyarados. Its Water/Flying-type makes it incredibly vulnerable to Electric-type attacks and doubly so against Rock-type ones. In an age post-Stealth Rock, this susceptibility becomes a significant hindrance. However, despite its typing flaws, Gyarados boasts an impressive Attack stat, capable of dishing out massive damage to anything that’s weak against its STAB moves.

The Fake Legendary Has Real Power

The Arcanine is a large, fiery canine boasting a broad overall stature due to its base stats of 555. This Pokemon excels at no particular skill, but its STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus) Flare Blitz delivers a powerful blow, placing it in an unusual position since numerous other Pokemons are exceptionally suited for specific roles, particularly given the multitude of them available in the games.

In the time of Pokémon Red and Blue (Gen 1), Arcanine had a more significant role due to its presence in the game. However, it fell short compared to the main canine character when it came to statistics. The issue lies in the fact that it often battled against Flareon, a more powerful attacker, while Moltres offered genuine firepower to those who utilized it.

Articuno Really Feels Like a Legendary Bird Pokémon

Among the trio of Legendary Birds from Kanto, Articuno was the one that made an initial appearance on the list. Interestingly, all three have an identical stat spread of 580, which is also mirrored by their Galarian counterparts. In the original Pokémon Red and Blue games, Articuno could arguably be considered the most formidable, due to its Blizzard ability having a significantly higher accuracy rate of 90%, compared to the 70% accuracy in today’s modern games.

As a dedicated admirer, I’d like to share some insights about Articuno. This legendary Pokémon felt the sting when Stealth Rock entered the scene due to its quadruple vulnerability to Rock-type attacks. However, Articuno boasts a high Special Defense stat and possesses the move Roost, making it resilient against a barrage of attacks than one might initially perceive.

Moreover, Articuno’s icy arsenal is nothing to sneeze at. Although Blizzard may not be as potent as before, it remains an effective tool in Doubles, which continues to reign supreme in the competitive scene even today.

This Fire/Flying-Type Legendary Pokémon Deserves Respect

Back in the day, I was totally hyped about Moltres when it debuted as this epic fiery phoenix in Pokémon Red and Blue. But then, with the arrival of the next generation of games, Ho-Oh showed up and overshadowed Moltres. With better stats and being the star on the cover of Pokémon Gold, Ho-Oh just stole the show.

Still, even though Moltres isn’t as popular these days, it remains a Pokémon that holds a special place in my heart. It was the first legendary bird I ever caught, and its fiery spirit will always be remembered.

It’s unusual that Moltres surpasses the main Pokemon of Pokémon Red, as it outperforms Charizard in almost every aspect. Unlike Charizard, which requires being evolved from a starter or obtained through trading with another player, Moltres can be captured by all players. Therefore, for Gen 1 players, Moltres seems to be the obvious choice when it comes to Fire/Flying-type Pokemon.

The Electric/Flying-Type Legendary Bird Pokémon Is Fast and Deadly

In the realm of Kanto, Zapdos stands out as the formidable final member among the trio of Legendary Birds. On the battlefield, it’s a force to be reckoned with due to its extraordinary speed and offensive prowess. Other Electric-type Pokémon in Kanto struggle to match Zapdos’ sheer power. What makes this bird even more intimidating is that its typing shields it from vulnerabilities associated with its Flying-type nature.

For many fans reminiscing about the Pokémon Red & Blue era, what stands out most about Zapdos is its notorious difficulty to capture. Unless a player was prepared to use their precious Master Ball, catching Zapdos often required an enduring struggle against its relentless attacks, followed by repeated attempts with Ultra Balls until it eventually surrendered.

This Psychic-Type Pokémon Is Rare and Powerful

Initially, Mew was difficult for most players of “Pokémon Red & Blue” to obtain at the game’s launch because it is a mythical Pokémon and could only be unlocked through an external distribution event. However, fans discovered a way to find it using a glitch, making Mew accessible to everyone, and becoming the 151st Pokemon. Over time, Mew has been given away frequently in later games, which has somewhat diminished its mysterious aura.

Mew, boasting a versatile stat distribution based on 600 and capable of mastering every Technical Machine in the game, is undeniably a formidable force. Its Psychic-type nature, which held dominance during its time, only serves to magnify the awe it inspires among competitive gamers.

This Dragon/Flying-Type Pseudo-Legendary Pokémon Gets a Boost from Its Typing

Among the three Dragon-type Pokemon in the Gen 1 games, Dragonite had much to live up to. Fortunately, it boasted impressive stats to support this, with Dragonite currently sharing the highest total points (600) with Mew. This colossal dragon has been a dominant force in competitive play for quite some time and is expected to remain so.

In the early versions of Pokémon Red and Blue, Dragonite suffered a significant disadvantage due to limited effective Dragon-type moves, which prevented it from fully utilizing its Same Type Attack Bonus (STAB). However, Dragonite was exceptional in using Wrap, a move that temporarily disabled an opponent’s Pokémon for multiple turns during that time.

This Psychic-Type Legendary Is the Strongest Gen 1 Pokémon

Among all the new contenders, none can match the might of Mewtwo, who remains formidable to this day. Even with numerous others rising in the ranks, Mewtwo stands out due to its exceptional base stat spread of 680, unsurpassed in Generation 1. Only Mega Evolutions of its own kind can potentially defeat Mewtwo from its original region, and both Mega forms boast an additional 100 stat points.

In the early versions of “Pokémon Red & Blue”, Mewtwo held an undisputed throne within the series, boasting incredible stats, types, and move sets. Alongside Mew, they were prohibited in competitive play formats because no other Pokémon could match their power, especially prior to the introduction of Dark-type Pokémon.

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2025-05-26 02:02